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Mainframe Modernization

Turn legacy into leverage with AI

Transform legacy systems into agile, AI-powered platforms that drive innovation, efficiency, and growth

What we do

AI-powered modernization for mainframe transformation

CIOs today face a high-stakes challenge: modernizing legacy systems to meet evolving business demands without compromising the reliability, security, and compliance these systems were built to deliver. Kyndryl’s AI-first approach is designed for exactly this tension. We help organizations evolve their mainframe environments into agile, intelligent platforms that support innovation and growth without disrupting what already works.

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how kyndryl helps

A consultative, pragmatic approach to AI-driven modernization

Workforce efficiency: Bridge the talent gap with AI

Organizations face a growing skills gap as experienced mainframe developers retire, and new talent enters the workforce.

AI can help bridge this gap by automating code conversion, generating documentation, and mapping legacy systems.

AdAI-assisted tools can reverse-engineer legacy logic and define application boundaries, enabling faster onboarding and more productive development cycles.

Application efficiency: Unlock legacy data, logic

Legacy systems often house critical data in formats that are difficult to access or analyze. AI-driven hybrid applications help bridge this gap by integrating mainframe data with modern analytics platforms.

Machine learning models detect anomalies in real-time, while large language models (LLMs) extract insights from structured and unstructured data. Generative AI modularizes legacy logic into callable services, enabling faster deployment of new capabilities like fraud detection.

Operational efficiency: Automate and optimize IT operations

High operational costs and manual processes often burden mainframe environments. Agentic AI automates job scheduling, resource allocation, and incident triage.

Reinforcement learning optimizes workload distribution based on system performance, while ML models predict failures and recommend preventive actions. Generative AI creates runbooks and automates documentation, and LLMs enable natural language queries for diagnostics and reporting

Our customers

Real-world journeys in mainframe modernization

Simplifying the core: Bank of Ireland’s strategic mainframe modernization

To support its digital growth agenda, Bank of Ireland is pursuing a mainframe simplification strategy that protects its core ledger systems while modernizing surrounding services. By focusing on collaboration, skills development, and preserving mission-critical functionality, the bank is preparing its IT estate for a more agile, secure, and sustainable future.

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Modernizing with resilience: Wüstenrot Gruppe’s cloud transformation

Wüstenrot Gruppe partnered with Kyndryl to migrate its mission-critical workloads to a secure, scalable zCloud environment. This modernization effort enhances digital agility, strengthens cyber resiliency, and ensures compliance with evolving EU regulations, positioning Wüstenrot for continued innovation in Austria’s financial services sector.

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What we're thinking about agentic AI systems

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Future of mainframe modernization leveraging AI

As AI and generative AI reshape the digital landscape, mainframes are evolving from legacy systems into intelligent engines of innovation. This paper explores how AI is accelerating every phase of mainframe modernization.

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Generative AI for mainframe modernization

Kyndryl empowers enterprises to automate, simplify, and accelerate transformation—leveraging AI to bridge legacy systems with future-ready innovation

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Closing the mainframe skills gap

This article highlights why short-term fixes aren’t enough, and how AI, upskilling, and strategic planning are key to building a future-ready mainframe workforce.

Frequently asked questions

You have questions. We have answers.

The return on investment from AI-driven mainframe modernization is both immediate and long-term. Organizations typically see reduced operational costs through automation, faster time-to-market for new services, and improved developer productivity. AI tools like generative AI and agentic AI accelerate code conversion, testing, and deployment, cutting modernization timelines by up to 50%. Additionally, unlocking legacy data enables new revenue-generating insights and services. The ROI also includes reduced risk exposure, improved compliance, and enhanced customer experiences, all contributing to sustained business growth.

Kyndryl embeds security and compliance into every phase of our modernization approach. We begin with a readiness assessment that includes a security posture review. We apply encryption, access controls, and AI-powered threat detection tools throughout the process. Our agentic AI capabilities help monitor compliance in real-time, while reinforcement learning continuously improves security protocols based on system behavior. We also align with industry-specific regulations and governance frameworks to ensure modernization efforts meet both internal and external compliance standards.

Kyndryl’s approach to bridging the skills gap is automation and enablement. Generative AI automates documentation, code translation (e.g., COBOL to Java), and test generation, reducing reliance on legacy expertise. Agentic AI and AI-assisted tools help reverse-engineer legacy systems and map application boundaries, making them easier to understand and maintain. At the same time, we support workforce enablement through training programs, upskilling initiatives, and role-specific AI tools that empower developers and IT teams to work confidently in hybrid environments. This ensures continuity while preparing teams for future-ready operations.

Take the next step

Connect with a Kyndryl expert to explore how AI can modernize your mainframe systems and drive business transformation.